A summer gone by
by Blaze Van Wham
Summary: A more serious look at the home life of Matt and Jeff Hardy, of the Hardy Boyz. Lindsay and Meaghan are only fanfic characters.
1. Default Chapter

Graduation **Note: This fiction is completely fictional. I have no intention of slandering Jeffery or Matthew Hardy by my writing. I wrote this an exercise, to find out what it was like to write to not only from a first person point of view, but from a HUMAN's pov. Normally, my fanfictions are about mice, or fantasy, or extremely unreal characters! So, this was a little test of mine to see how it would come out, and I hope it's done it's job...Send any email to san@tokyo.com, and let me know what you think about this first attempt! Like I said, as well, I highly respect the Hardy Boyz and all that they do in the WWF. Nothing is meant by this little fic, and keep in mind, NONE OF IT IS REAL! Thank you! =^^= If you keep reading this fic, you'll find out, and from what a few have told me, that Lindsay is the one who loses out in this story.**   
**Author's Note: This story is set the year of Jeff's graduation, but I can't remember the exact date...It starts at the end of Jeff's grade twelve year, and continues from there. It's easy to tag along, as the time is usually written in the story. The title of the story is all I could come up with for now...**

A summer gone by... 

Written by Blaze Van Wham 2001 

  


I drummed my fingers on the desk top, and waited for the class to end. It was officially the last day of school. The last day of my high school life. And I was so bored.... 

From beside me, I heard Jeff snickering at something. 

"Shut up before you get caught!" I whispered at him, and tried to look like I was paying attention. 

"What are they gonna do? Not let me graduate? I have all the credits I need!" Jeff argued back, and went back to snickering. 

From behind me, I heard Meagan snickering as well. 

"What are you laughing about?!?" I whipped around, and asked her. Promptly, she shut up. She wouldn't let me know. 

I glared daggers at her. "Meagan! Tell me!" 

"Don't worry about it, Lindsay!" She said to me assuringly, and across the row, slapped Jeff's hand. 

I sighed. Those two were always doing stuff like this to me. Being the new kid of the year, and from Canada, they always teased me. Mercilessly. But, we all knew it was only in fun. None of it was hurtful to any of us. At least we hoped not. 

It was our last year in the school. All of us were graduating and each had our own aspirations: Jeff wanted to be in the WWF with his older brother Matt, I wanted to go to a University with some kind of a graphics art program and Meagan...Well, Meagan had no idea of what she wanted to do yet. She was gonna wing it, and see what would happen. Which I thought was ridiculous. 

All of the teens heard the last bell of their high school life ring, and we rushed out to our cars. I hopped in mine, and suddenly found Jeff sitting in the passenger seat beside me. Meagan started her own car up from beside mine, and I peeked my head out the window of my car. I realized I still didn't know what the two had been giggling about, and I figured I probably never would. 

"Meet ya at Mcdonald's?" I asked her, and she nodded. 

As I drove out of the parking lot, and to the local Mcdonald's, I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel to the music flowing through the radio. Jeff smiled in the seat beside me, and when I laid my hand down on the seat to rest, felt his close around mine. I blushed a little. Jeff squeezed my hand in reply, and looked out the window. 

A few minutes later, as we pulled up into the Mcdonald's parking lot, I saw Meagan's car, and I unbuckled my seat. Jeff followed suit, and the two of us walked out of the car. As we both came around to meet at the trunk of the car, Jeff put his arm around my waist, and I found myself blushing again. Meagan hopped out of her car, and ran towards us, ecstatic. 

I laughed as she neared us. "Happy to be graduating?" I asked, and she nodded enthusiastically. 

"Ah'll go get us a booth." Jeff offered, and headed into the Mcdonald's. 

I stared after him. "Jeff..." I started but stopped after I saw him head into the Mcdonald's. "Ah, nevermind." Meagan looked at me quickly, and headed after him. After about two seconds, I decided to do the same, but was attacked by someone from behind. He threw me to the ground, playing, and I found myself staring into the eyes of Matt. 

"Uh...Hey..." I said to him, stammering. For as long as I could remember, I had a crush on him...But...Jeff had just shown that he had affection for me as well...I sighed from underneath Matt, and he pinned my arms back. 

"Hey!!!" I responded, and struggled to wriggle out, but found the pavement underneath me scraping. "Shit!" I yelled, and stopped myself. Matt bent down, and kissed me. 

As he moved off of me, I stood up, and stared at him. I felt my fingers touch my lips. 

"Matt?" I said to him. He looked back at me, and stepped forward. "What...What was that for?" 

"For graduating. Ah'm proud of you." He smiled, and circled his arms around me. I felt short, as I always had with the Hardy brothers, and I rested my head into his chest. 

"I can't believe this was my last day of high school ever..." I whispered into his chest, and he kissed my forehead. "And I can't believe you're doing this.." I added. 

I always had had a duel within myself over the two brothers. Matt was more like the older brother type to me, ever since I had met him last summer. He always took care of me, whether I was hurt, whether I was feeling emotionally drained, or whether I was just tired. He was always there with something for me, something to eat, a movie to watch, or just comforting me. Even if I was barely showing it, he always knew something was wrong. He could tell. He seemed to pick up on it somehow. I could never figure that out. He was the constant in my life, and when I dreamt about it, if I ever spent the rest of my life with him, I'd be content. 

As for Jeff, he was the opposite. Wild, crazy, sexy, cool. He listened to rock music, and rode around on his motorbike when he had the chance. I loved him for that. He was the wild part in my life, the part I enjoyed at parties. He managed to do so many stupid things, I couldn't even remember how many he had done. Jeff was also great for those parties when I had gotten piss drunk, and couldn't drive myself home. He'd take me back to his house for the night, where I usually slept on his couch, and would wake up, kinda confused and dazed. Surprisingly, he had never taken advantage of me, which I admired him for. Any one of those times, he could have easily had his way with me. I guess that was the good part about Jeff: His trust. He stood on his promises, and never let you down on them. 

Matt kissed my forehead again, and lifted my head up, his finger underneath my chin. He kissed me deeply, and caressed my back with his hands. 

After the kiss had ended, I gazed into his eyes. I was speechless. I had nothing I could think of to say: After the small amount of time I had known the 20 something North Carolinian, I had never felt so much love for him. I couldn't describe it. 

We heard Jeff's voice coming near us. "Hey Linds! We found...." He stopped, when he caught the last few seconds of our liplock. His face went from exuberant, to sadness. 

"I..." He said, and stepped forward. Matt pushed me out of the way, and Jeff punched him solidly across his jaw. No one words came from either of the brothers as they fought violently on the ground. 

I tried to break them up. I tried to pick Jeff off of Matt, who was endlessly pounding Matt in the face. Jeff lightly hit me away, and continued to pound on his brother. Matt refused to fight. He just lay there, his brother on top of him, letting him beat the living snot out of him. 

"STOP IT!" My voice rang out in the parking lot, and Jeff looked up. His eyes and face were angry, a horrible expression hung on his frame. 

For a second, he thought about it. And decided against it. He went back to punching his brother, and standing up, kicking him in the side. I heard Matt groan in pain, almost scream, as Jeff hit every inch of his brother's body. Still, Matt refused to fight back. Even a tiny bit. 

I rushed forward, tears blurring my vision, and I tried once again to push Jeff away. He slapped me with the back of his hand, and I felt my body topple back, hit the bumper of a car, and my temple hit the metal sharply on the corner, and my eyes closing.   


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I woke up in the hospital. My vision was blurred, and I struggled to make out shapes before me. Nothing. Just blurs. My head ached, especially my left temple. I wondered why. 

My vision began to slowly come back to me, and I saw a young guy in the bed beside me. He was pretty bad looking, his face had been smashed in really well. I wonder who had done that to him. I figured whoever had, I didn't want to get to know them. 

I saw a girl's face before mine. "Lindsay..." She said my name. 

The young male beside me groaned. I looked over at him. "Is he gonna be okay?" I asked the girl. 

She shook her head. "He's got a number of stitches to his head, and possibly a broken jaw." Her face looked tear streaked, like she had been crying. 

I could only look down, hanging my head. "What happened?" I whispered, almost afraid of the answer. I couldn't seem to remember any of the events that had proceeded my hospital stay. 

The girl looked at me strangely. "Jeff came out to the parking lot, to let you guys know we had found a booth, and he saw you kissing Matt...And attacked him." 

"Attacked him?" I repeated back. 

She nodded. "Jeff attacked his own brother." At this, my eyes opened wide. 

"His own brother?" 

She nodded. I looked over at the injured male. Again, he groaned. I stepped out of my bed, and, with my blanket wrapped around me, walked to his bedside. Standing there, I stroked his face as gently as I could. 

He murmured, and instinctively, grabbed my hand tight in his, and stroked his face with it. His eyes slowly opened. 

"Lindsay..." He said the name slowly. 

I said his name back. "Matthew." A tear fell from the corner of my eye. 

He smiled, and laughed as much as he could. It strained his body, I could tell, and he was in pain. 

"Don't..." I told him. He smiled again. 

"Always taking care of me. That's mah girl." He closed his eyes, and fell asleep. I traveled back to my bed, and felt the temple on my forehead throb in pain. Lying my body down, I closed my eyes as well, and slept. 

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Meagan watched over her two friends, Matt and Lindsay. She felt her own eyes slipping into a deep sleep. But she couldn't. She had to watch over her friends. She cared for these two so much. Looking at how badly beat their bodies were though, she felt her stomach churn inside. Sure, Matt dealt with this kind of violence when he was in the ring...But nothing like this. Nothing like the rapid beating his brother had given him. And Matt would never, could never bring himself to hurt his own flesh and blood, his own younger brother. Not outside of the ring. In the ring, it was more theatrical, more timed. Not like this. 

Meagan saw Matt stir in his sleep, and she watched him gain a sad look on his face. Matt started to cry out. "Jeff! Jeff! Stop it! I refuse to fight you!" 

Meagan ran over to his side. "Matt! Matt!" She yelled at him. 

He sat up. Sweat dripped off his face. He looked around. He put his head in his hands. Matt looked over at Lindsay. She slept almost peacefully. He couldn't take his eyes off of her though. Shaking, he rubbed his hands through his hair. 

Meagan sat quietly in a chair to the side of his bed. She brought her head up. She didn't say anything. Just looked at him. 

"Ah was dreamin' an'...Recalling the events from yesterday..." He drawled out. Meagan stood up, and looked at him. 

"It's okay. It was just a dream." She assured him. Matt sat there, expressionless. "Where's Jeff?" He asked moments later. 

Meagan struggled for an answer. "He went home...Your dad's pretty upset with him." 

Matt's mouth opened wide. But he didn't say anything. Just went back to rubbing his hands through his hair, and looking over at Lindsay. Gazing at her. He worried for her. 

He watched her breathing silently in and out, and making little sounds in her sleep.Tears came to his eyes, and he let them out. He couldn't stop them. 

Meagan put her hand on his shoulder. She squeezed his shoulder, and stood behind him. A while later, she stepped back, and sat back on the chair. Matt sat there, his face blank. 

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Jeff stomped up to his room, and started to kick things around. He was angry. That much was obvious. He flopped down on his bed, giving up quickly. He stared up at the ceiling of his room, and felt his mind being drowned by thoughts. 

He sighed loudly, and curled up in his bed, his blanket around his body. He wouldn't let himself cry, but punched the pillow on his bed. Why had Lindsay done this? Didn't she know he cared for her? And to see his own brother kissing her...He punched his pillow again. It angered him. As it had since he had met the girl last year. 

He let the memory flow through his head, and closed his eyes. 

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_"Students, we have a new classmate." The teacher broke into Jeff Hardy's thoughts. He stirred, and looking up, caught the eye of the new student entering the class._

_ "Hi." She said simply. Her voice had an accent to it, something unusual...He shrugged it off, and gazed upon the beauty of the new student. She was young, or looked it at least._

_ "If anyone of you could help her to her classes for the rest of the day, I'd appreciate it greatly." Jeff's teacher added. He put his hand up, and the teacher nodded. "All right, Jeff, I'm counting on you. Lindsay, take a seat behind him."_

_ The new student nodded, and sat in the desk behind him. Jeff smiled to himself, and turned back to his task at hand: His math homework._   


_ Between the first and second period, Jeff helped Lindsay through the halls. "So, where are ya from?" He drawled out._

_ "Canada." Lindsay replied, and looked at the passing numbers on the doors of the classrooms._

_ That would explain the weird accent she had. Or, lack of. She didn't have a drawl, like everyone else Jeff knew._

_ "What's your next class?" He asked._

_ Lindsay looked down at her roster. "Art." She said._

_ "Art, huh?" Jeff smiled, and offered his arm to Lindsay. "If you will, ma'am." He said, and laughed. Lindsay took his arm, and joined him in laughing. They headed up the stairs of the high school, and finally arrived at their destination: The Art Room._

_ "Here ya go." Jeff told her, and Lindsay thanked him. She walked into her class, and Jeff traveled to his._   


_ At lunchtime, Jeff met up with Meagan, another Canadian, and hugged her. "Going for lunch, right?" He asked her. She nodded, and the two ran to her car. Jeff was about to open the car door, when he saw Lindsay exit the front doors of the school. She looked around, and finding no one to hang with, started to head back into the school. Jeff yelled at her. She heard him yell her name, and she saw him standing near Meagan's car._

_ "Hey." She said quietly, and held her books in her arms. He smiled at her again._

_ "Wanna join us for lunch?" He asked her. She blushed a little, and nodded._

_ "Cool." He said, and opened the car door, sitting in the passenger seat. She opened the back door, and sat down in the back seat._

_The ride to the Hardy's house was a long one, it seemed for Jeff. Finally, Meagan parked the car in the lot, and the two ran up to the door, through it, and into the kitchen. Quietly, Lindsay stepped out of the car, and walked through the open door._

_ Jeff and Meagan rushed around the kitchen, and grabbed food from the freezer, popping it into the microwave._

_ "Oh, Lindsay, meet Matt. My older brother." Jeff said to her. Politely, Jeff saw Lindsay shake Matt's hand. He figured it was a Canadian thing._

_ Sitting down, once all the food was warmed up, Jeff noticed himself sitting across from Lindsay. She looked away, wouldn't make eye contact with him._

_ Matt stood in the kitchen. "Lunchtime for you guys, huh?" He asked. Meagan and Jeff nodded. Matt laughed._

_ Jeff looked at Lindsay, and she sat there, quiet. "Talk to us, Linds. What's up?"_

_ She looked up. "Not much....My classes aren't so bad right now. You don't have a bad little school here." She smiled. "I'm sorry for not talking that much...I've never moved to a new city, let alone a country. I'm getting used to the lifestyle here."_

_ Jeff looked at her. "Lifestyle?"_

_ "Yeah...I used to live in a city, and was surrounded by the sights and sounds of it...And then I move out here, to North Carolina, in a small town. It's a big change."_

_ Jeff smiled at her. "So, you went from city girl to country bumpkin?"_

_ "Heh, yeah. Dad loves it. He grew up in a small town, but mom and I want to be back in Canada..." She trailed off, and looked around nervously._

_ Matt pulled up a chair beside her._

_"Canada?" He laughed. "Meagan's the only other Canadian around these parts."_

_ Jeff saw Lindsay smile._

_ "Another Canadian? Awesome!" She was thrilled suddenly, and she started to talk rapidly. "So, when did you move down here?" She asked._

_ "About a year before you did." Meagan laughed. "So, I'm not the newbie anymore."_

_ Lindsay laughed. "Yeah...I guess not!" She bit down into her lunch._

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Opening his eyes, Jeff sat up slowly. He breathed raggedly, and looked at himself in the mirror. He was a wreck. His hair was a mess, and bags were underneath his eyes. His clothes, which he hadn't changed since the day before, were wrinkled, and dirty in spots. He punched the mirror, shattering the glass, and left his room, his hand bleeding. 

He climbed into his car, and drove towards the local hospital. His hand bled profusely, but he ignored it. He parked the car and walked up to the receptionist's desk. He asked for the room Lindsay had been placed in, and when he was told, ran to it. 

Slamming the door open, he ran to Lindsay's bedside. She was asleep, and he fell at the feet of her bed, and started to cry. 

That's when he noticed Matt and Meagan were in the room, watching him. Meagan smiled at him, and walked over. 

"Jeff? She's okay...Just sleeping." 

He sighed in relief, and brought himself up. He grabbed the closest chair and sat by her bedside. Just like his brother was doing, he watched over her. For once, Jeff forgot about the rival between he and his brother. All he was worried about was Lindsay. He couldn't believe he had hurt her like that, had managed to backhand her so hard...   


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I was let out of the hospital a few days later, and thankfully, before the grad. I had about two days to get everything together, to get myself ready for it. It wasn't enough time, and by the time the day came for all the ceremonies, the bruise on my temple still hadn't gone. Jeff's hand had been stitched up since he had cut it in his mirror, and Matt's wounds had since cleared up. The two brothers were still a little at odds, but still went to practice, and if they were lucky, a match between other local wrestlers. 

I had plans that morning with Meagan to go get our hair done at the local salon, and Matt and Jeff had picked us up to take us. Even though Meagan had her own escort, the two brothers were still sweet about driving us around, and enduring our appointments. Matt was going as my escort, so it worked out for the best. 

By the evening, everyone was ready to go. Jeff had picked up his escort earlier in the day, and Matt had stuck with Meagan and I. Meagan had picked her escort up an hour before the ceremony, and we had all decided to meet at the Hall where it was being held beforehand. I had to take Matt to pick up his tux and get him changed. When that was done, we headed to the Hall. 

The ceremony went great. We met up with Meagan and Jeff and their escorts, and everything in the ceremony went flawlessly. Of course, everyone looked gorgeous in whatever he or she seemed to be wearing. The dance and banquet came after that, and those went great. There were no hitches the entire time. Which was good, in my opinion. The two brothers were behaving themselves it seemed. 

At the dance though, Jeff started to act a little jealous. If he saw Matt and I dancing too close, he'd send his older brother this withering glare, as if to tell him, 'lay one hand on her, and I'll kill you.' This made me angry, since I had told Jeff numerous times since the fight that I wasn't his. As far as I could tell, I didn't belong to anybody. 

After the dance, we had all had plans to head to a friend's place for grad celebration. Matt, Meagan, and Jeff's and Meagan's escorts decided to go home, complaining of being too tired. I wasn't going to let that wreck my fun, so I grabbed my stuff and got a ride with Jeff over to the friend's house. 

I don't remember much after that. There was alcohol at the party, and by the end of the night, Jeff and I were wasted. I had no idea how we managed it, but somehow we got home, and without dieing. The next memories I have are of waking up in Jeff's arms. Which wasn't so bad. But I woke up in his arms, in his bed, and naked. 

I realized then that Jeff and I had come back to his place, and probably finding no one home, headed up to his room, and being wasted, had slept together. 

I cried. I couldn't believe I had let myself be so stupid. As I lay there in Jeff's arms, he woke up slowly, and I sat up, wrapping the blanket around myself. 

Jeff realized what had happened quickly, and nervously, raked his fingers through his hair. He didn't look at me at all, and I sat there, crying. 

I heard Matt's soft footsteps coming up the stairs, and I almost screamed. If he saw Jeff and I together in bed.... 

He opened the door, and I cried out. 

His mouth fell open when he saw the lack of clothing on Jeff's and my own body. All I could do was sit there, crying, holding the blanket up against my body. 

Matt was silent. He stood there for a few seconds, and grabbed onto the door for balance. 

"Matt...." I said, whispering. "Matt..It's.....I can explain this..." 

Jeff still held his head down, hiding the expression on his face. 

"You slept with Jeff?" Matt said. He wasn't yelling; but he had that tone that told you he was hurt, was crying inside. 

I nodded. I looked away from Matt, ashamed. 

"Mah god..." Matt voiced, and I heard his retreating footsteps down the stairs. I knew I had hurt him. Hurt him deep inside, and he was screaming. Screaming inside. I knew him that well; I knew how Matt reacted to the things I did. 

I brought my hand to Jeff's face, and rubbed his cheek. 

He looked up at me. "Ah...Ah can't believe ah did that..." 

"I know...Neither can I..." I told him. I crept forward, and crawled into his lap. He curled his arms around me. 

"What are we gonna do now?" Jeff asked me. 

I didn't have an answer for him. "I don't know..." I whispered, and the tears fell from my eyes again, as I thought about Matt, and the pain I was causing him. 

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I still can't explain what went on between me and Jeff that night. I know that, being Jeff, he has an amazing sex drive...But the fact that he finally let it go on me, and that I replied kept on bugging me...And it would for a while. For a long while.   


I walked into that Hardy's household, and greeted Jeff. He was making supper, or attempting to. Matt was nowhere to be found. 

"What's for dinner?" I asked playfully, knowing that it probably wouldn't be that good. 

Jeff stared into the oven. "Chicken an' potatoes." He told me. 

I nodded, and decided I wouldn't break the news to him until dinner. "Where's Matt?" It had been a few months, about two, since the night Jeff and I had spent together... 

I rubbed my stomach, for hunger, and for something that was developing in there. Another life. 

"Out back. Working on the arena we built. Practicing more an' likely." Jeff told me. 

"Thanks." I said, and headed out back behind the house. 

As I headed back there, I wondered why Matt was practicing by himself. I soon found out the answer to my question. 

"Hey there." I said, leaning against the back screen door. 

Matt looked up. "Lindsay!" He smiled and ran towards me, enveloping me into a large hug. "Where the hell have ya been?!" He asked. 

"Around..." I answered. It had been about two months since the two had seen me. Or anyone from Cameron had seen me. "Mom and dad were moving their stuff back to Canada, and I was stuck with them." I shrugged. "They're letting me stay here for the time being. Until the end of next year. I'm moving back home after that." 

Matt gave me this pitiful look. "Moving back? Why would ya wanna do that?" 

"I miss some of my friends from Canada...I don't have any real communication with them." 

Matt sighed. He didn't say anything else, and by this time, I was used to it. 

"You cut your hair." He noticed. 

"Yeah. In-between the moves. Decided I needed something better while living here in North Carolina." I shrugged again. 

"And ya nose is pierced..." He looked at me weirdly, and I laughed. 

"You don't get many people out here like that, do you?" 

"We do...Ah was just never expecting it of you..." 

I laughed again. "Matthew, you should know me better than that. I've always been known to do crazy things to my body." 

Matt blinked. "I never knew you to do that..." 

"Eh, doesn't matter. It's done." I rubbed my stomach again. "Jeff's cooking supper inside. Should be done soon. I'll call ya when it's done." 

He nodded, and went back to what I had been found him doing: Practicing flips, aerial moves. 

I found Jeff sliding the chicken out of the oven inside, and it looked golden brown. I came up behind him, after he had placed the chicken on the oven, and hugged him around the waist. 

He shrieked, which was funny to hear from him. I giggled, as I stepped back. 

"Don't do that! Shit woman!" He swore at me, and he turned swiftly around on his heel. "Supper's done." 

"Okay." I said and yelled out back to Matt. "Boy, supper's ready!" I tried in my best Southern accent. It didn't work though, and Matt came in laughing his ass off, Jeff joining in. 

"What? What?" I looked around innocently. Or tried to. 

"Nothing..." Jeff laughed, and set the table. 

We sat during dinner, with myself being the most talkative. I talked about Canada, my visits home, and my trip back. Jeff and Matt listened intently to me. When supper was done, and they were both quiet, I told them what I had been waiting to all night. 

"Matthew...Jeffery..." I said slowly. They looked at me. "I have something important to tell you..." I rubbed my stomach again. "When I first left to go back home..." I paused, collecting myself, "I was kinda worried..." 

Jeff interrupted. "'Bout what?" 

"Well....I missed about a month worth of my menstrual flow..." Jeff and Matt looked at me curiously, kind of not understanding me. "About a month ago, I found out I was pregnant." 

Both gasped loudly. "Pregnant?" Jeff gulped. 

I nodded. "Positive that I'm pregnant." I choked back tears. 

Matt, as usual, was silent. 

"Are ya sure it's my child?" Jeff said. 

I nodded again. "I've never slept with anyone else Jeff. Anyone." 

"Mah god...." Matt's usual little reply. 

I drank down the last of my glass of milk. "That's why I came over here. To tell you this." 

Jeff and Matt suddenly seemed intent on finishing their dinner. 

I couldn't help it anymore, and I let the tears out. I ran out of the house, to my car, and curled up in the front seat.   


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I have no idea how long I had sat in there, bawling my eyes out. It was night by the time I crawled out, and back to the Hardy's house. 

I knocked lightly at the door, and Jeff opened it. He let me in, and said, "Night's pretty cold. Might as well stay here for the night." 

I nodded through my tears. 

"That's a girl." He told me, and directed me to the living room. I curled up on the couch. The tv blared in front of me, shots of WWF stars flashing before my eyes. I told myself that now Matt and Jeff would never make it. Not with a bastard child. I sure as hell couldn't support myself. 

I didn't sleep that night, and when I heard Jeff and Matt stirring upstairs, headed up there. I found Jeff running to his brother's room in his boxers, and I had to laugh. Tears came again to my eyes, but these were laughter ones. 

Jeff bounded into Matt's room, jumping on his bed, and waking him up. 

"Shit, boy! What the hell!?!?" Matt yelled, and Jeff stood off in the room. 

"Matt! We're gonna be in a house show!" He screamed. I laughed again. The site of Jeff screaming was too much, and I bowled over in laughter, giving away my hiding spot. 

"Ah! Shit!" Was all I heard Jeff yell, before he ran back to his room, and pulled on a pair of jeans. I laughed even more. 

He walked back to Matt's room. "I gotta call this morning, and they want us to come do a house show!" 

Matt blinked, and then it sunk it. "Whoohoo!" He yelled with his brother, and hugged him. I sat on the stairs now, and I smiled. In all the time I had known these two, I had never seen them, since all that happened over the summer months, hug. I was happy for them. 

Jeff came running to the stairs, and picked me up, swinging me around. I laughed, and as he let me down, I looked up at him. 

"You seem happy!" 

"Lindsay, it's our dream come true!!" He said. I smiled, but inside I faced reality. 

Jeff didn't notice how upset I was, and kept running around, ecstatic. Matt laughed, and walked out of his room, dressed in a pair of pants and socks. 

I smiled at him, trying to show my happiness. Being Matt, he noticed something was wrong. 

"Lindsay..." He drawled out. 

"Hm?" I looked at him. 

"What are you thinking about?" 

"Nothing, Matt." I smiled again, even more fake than the first. 

He embraced me. With his arms around my waist, and his mouth close to my ear, he asked me, "What's wrong?" 

I gave in. "It's great and all that you and Jeff have this house show you're doing for the WWF. I'm happy for you. I just...I can't support myself and a child, Matt. But I don't want to get in your way, either." 

"You won't...You didn't know this was going to happen, Linds. None of us could have predicted it." He hugged me again. 

"I know...But...Shit." I said. I pulled myself out of Matt's arms, and walked down the stairs. He followed me. I curled back up onto the living room couch, and stared out the front window. 

He sat down beside me, and automatically, as I had done so often in the last year or so, wrapped myself up in his lap and his arms. He held me tight. I didn't cry. I had no reason to. All the tears had been let out already. Jeff raced around, and finally found the two of us in the living room. He balked a little, but saw that it was just a comfort for me, nothing else. 

Jeff sat down on the other side of the couch, and rubbed my back. I smiled, and curled up even more into Matt's arms. For once, the two brothers weren't fighting over me. 

"Jeff...Can you call Meagan? I want to see her again." I told him. I hadn't seen Meagan since grad. I missed her a lot. She was one of my best friends, and being away from her for so long was affecting me. 

"Sure." Jeff said. He went to the kitchen, and picked up the phone, dialing Meagan's number. 

"Hello? Can I speak to Meagan?" I heard Jeff say from where I sat. "Hey Meg! Lindsay's over- Yeah, she wants you over here pronto. Is that okay? Cool. See ya in a few." 

Jeff strode back to the living room. "She said she'd be here as soon as possible." 

I smiled, and stood up. I stood in front of the window, and watched for her car, which was a piece of junk. We had always laughed about that. 

I watched as a few minutes later, her car came rolling up the Hardy's driveway. I ran outside to the car, and as soon as Meagan placed her foot on the ground, hugged her tight. 

Releasing from the hug, she looked at me and said, "Happy to see me?" To which, I embraced her again. "Obviously!" She smiled, and led me back into the house. 

Jeff and Matt sat on the couch, looking worried, and Meagan tried to cheer them up. She hopped into Jeff's lap, and hugged him around his neck. He sat there, with Meagan and I joined Matt on the couch. 

"So, what's the big news?" Meagan asked. "Jeff sounded impatient or something on the phone." She ruffled her fingers through his hair, which I noticed was growing out. It was chin length on him now. 

I held my head down, and finally muttered, "I'm pregnant." I paused. "With Jeff's kid." 

At this, Meagan flew up from Jeff's lap and joined Matt and I on the couch. "When did this happen?" She asked me. I had never had the guts to let anyone but Matt and Jeff know about that night. 

"You remember that party we went to? Or you were going to go after grad?" 

She nodded. 

"Well...Jeff and I became drunk, and somehow ended up back here. I woke up, in his arms, in his bed, naked." 

She gasped. Loudly. 

"Soon after, my parents started to move their stuff back to Canada...I was with them for most of the time, and I missed a month of flow...I went to the doctor, took one of those pregnancy tests, and found myself pregnant." It rushed out of my mouth. 

Meagan hugged me tight. "You must be so scared..." She said, and I cried. Like I had often done in the past month or two. 

I sniffled. "I don't know what to do now...I can't support myself and a kid while I'm living here...There's no way." 

Jeff spoke up. "You can move in here, once the baby's born." 

I blinked. What did he just say? 

"You have your own place to stay right now, right?" 

"Yes." I said. 

"Then once you give birth, you can live with us, until you move back to Canada." I blinked again. 

"Are you serious?" He nodded. Matt shot him this look, but didn't seem to mind it. 

"You can stay with us until then, I guess." Matt echoed his brother's words. 

I smiled. At least I would have some support until then... 

Meagan sat back in the couch. "Why don't you stay at my place until the birth? That way you won't have to worry about paying bills, for food, and such while you're pregnant." 

"Um..." I bit my lip. "I guess..." 

She nodded. "You are. You don't need to worry about anything else." 

I sniffled, and smiled. I stood up, and headed to the door. 

"I'm gonna go pack my things." I told the three. I walked out of the door, and felt a little more happy than I had before.   


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   


I managed to pack my things quickly, and I had lived with Meagan for about a month before the unimaginable had happened: I woke up one morning, to find myself bleeding. My bed was covered in blood, and I remember sitting there, stunned. It had only been 6 weeks or so into the pregnancy, and I had had a miscarriage. I reached over to the phone, after I managed to calm down, and dialed the Hardy's number. 

"Hello?" Matt's voice answered, after it had rang a few times. 

I stifled a choke. "Matt? Is Jeff there?" I asked. 

"Hold on." He told me. I heard him yelling for his brother, and soon I heard Jeff's voice on the phone. 

"What's up?" He asked me. 

Slowly, bringing the words to my lips, I told him, "Jeff, I woke up this morning, and..." I sobbed a little. "I had a miscarriage." 

I only heard breathing from the other end of the line. "Are you sure, Lindsay?" He asked me. 

I didn't say anything. "Yes..." I finally whispered into the phone. 

"Are you okay?" 

I sniffled. "No..." 

"I'll be right over with Matt." Jeff told me and I heard the phone click. 

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Numbly, I walked down to the door, and opened it. Meagan had left for work early that morning, and wouldn't find out the news until she came home in the evening... 

Jeff and Matt walked in quietly. I offered them the couch in the living room to sit on. I hadn't taken a shower yet, and I knew I looked horrible. Still, the two brothers didn't seem to notice, as they sat down in the living room. 

I sighed, not knowing what else to say to the two. I was too numb, too in shock to say anything. 

Jeff held out his arms to me, and I crawled into them. I felt safe, warm, but I still found myself crying uncontrollably. 

"Sssh...Sssssh...." He whispered into my hair. My eyes were red, my hair in clumps across my head. I had my pj's on from that morning. 

I saw Matt head upstairs. He brought the blankets I had slept in downstairs, and asked me where the washer was. I pointed to it, in the back room, and he headed there, putting the sheets in the wash. 

I cried even more. It had only been 6 weeks...Only 6 weeks. Just as I was getting used to the idea of giving birth, that gift had been taken away. 

I curled up more into Jeff's arms. He cradled me there, held my head against his chest, and kept whispering to me. I have no idea what he was saying, but I knew it was comforting me somehow. That's all I knew. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

For the rest of the day, the two stayed with me. I couldn't do much of anything on my own, since I was still in shock. Over everything that happened since grad. All of the stupid things I had done. Sleeping with Jeff, kissing Matt before the grad....All of it came rushing back. 

I heard Meagan's car clank into the parkway. She parked, and stepped out, and walked into the house. She stopped when she saw me. 

"Oh my gosh...What happened?" She said as she ran towards me. 

Through my tears, I told her. "This morning...I woke up...and found blood....on the bedsheets....I had a..." 

She stopped me. "Don't say anything more, hon." She told me. Taking my hand, she led me upstairs and started a bath for me. She checked the water with her hand, making sure it was warm, but not too hot, and filled it. 

I stood there for who knows how long. Meagan had headed downstairs, to find some clean towels for me to dry my body with, and to get some clean clothes for me. 

She returned moments later, but what seemed like eternity to me. She laid the clothes and towels down, and told me that she would be downstairs with Matt and Jeff if I needed anything. I nodded to her, and she closed the bathroom door as she exited. 

I stripped my clothes off, and sunk into the warmth of the bath. It felt nice, after all that had happened, to relax. A song floated through my head as I lay in the bathtub. 

_I've been searching for you_   
_I heard a cry within my soul_   
_I've never had a yearning quite like this before_   
_Know that you are walking right through my door_

_All of my life_   
_Where have you been_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_   
_And if that day comes_   
_I know we could win_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_

_A sacred gift of heaven_   
_For better worse, wherever_   
_And I would never let somebody break you down_   
_Until you cried, never_

_All of my life_   
_Where have you been_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_   
_And if that day comes_   
_I know we could win_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_

_At every time I've always known_   
_That you where there, upon your throne_   
_A lonely queen without her king_   
_I longed for you, my love forever_

_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_   
_I wonder if I'll ever see you again_

I began to sing the lyrics to the song, and I didn't care if anyone heard my off key singing. I needed to release everything I had gone through, all of the strife I had dealt with. I crawled out of the tub, dried myself off, and pulled on the clean clothes that Meagan had set out for me. I walked downstairs, and entered the living room. 

All three heads looked up to me. "Hi..." I said quietly. 

I smiled a little. Meagan stood up, and offered me her spot on the couch. I sat down, and watched the tv. As usual, Matt and Jeff were watching WWF. I watched it a little, and wondered if the two brothers would ever make it into the league. They had done the house show already, and were onto bigger things. I didn't know for sure though, as I was in a state of shock for the rest of the month. The boys went to practice every day, went to the gym, and by the time winter came, I noticed they had bulked up. A lot. Not like they weren't already muscular... 

Meagan had a job at the local Subway, with minimum wage, and taking classes at the   
She was doing really well, and I was proud of her in her studies. I was working at a grocery store in town, getting paid minimum wage, just enough to pay for monthly rent at Meagan's, for food, clothes and other items. I wasn't going to go to college until I moved back to Canada, which wouldn't be for another half a year at least. My life had cleared up a bit as well; I didn't go to any parties anymore, and was safe to stay away from the people who I knew would invite me. I was still single, which bugged me a little. I didn't want to get into a relationship with either Matt or Jeff, as I knew it would one or the other. So, I opted for the best option: To be single until I was back in Canada. 

I hadn't seen much of Jeff or Matt over the winter months. They were busy in the gym, and touring with the WWF. I had some weird work hours, and whenever the two came home, it seemed I couldn't find time to see them. I was always too tired too. Meagan saw them the few times they were home, and would see them. Often, when she came home from the visit, she'd let me know what they were up to. 

Both of the boys were still single; neither had found a girlfriend yet. I figured it was the fact that they were on the road a fair bit. If they did get a girlfriend, it wouldn't bother me...Or would it? It crushed me inside to think of either one of them with another girl. But, that was their choice, not mine to make. I wouldn't interfere with that.   


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   


When spring hit, I had a better job, and was slowly getting my life back together. I was busy with choosing the school I would enroll in, and the classes I would take, and the application form...It was a large process, but necessary. I never saw Matt or Jeff during the spring. Their work with the WWF had picked up, and they were more frequently in matches. I was happy for them, but I missed them a lot. I couldn't write to them, because they didn't have a permanent residence, but every so often, I would call them. They were both happy to here about how I was doing, and how my life was going. 

Meagan had finished her first year in school, and had finished 4th in her class. I was more than proud of her. She had her life intact at least, and was able to do schoolwork. She took care of me if something emotionally destroying happened to me. It was rare now, but when it did, she was always there. She would leave her work, or her school to come home, and feed me, clothe me, etc. I was becoming a bit dependent on her for everything. Kinda like I had done with Matt and Jeff. 

I wrote about missing them often in my journal. They were the two best friends anyone could have ever had, and had always been there for me. Their dream was becoming reality, being in the WWF, but I wished they were at home, making supper, or playing some sort of stupid game with Meagan and I. I missed our old crew, the people we had hung out with in school. I was nineteen now. 

Spring passed quickly, and it was summer soon. I was almost ready for school. My application had been sent in, and my portfolio was ready to show to them when I received the acceptance letter. It wouldn't arrive until August, but I made sure I was ready. Meagan was getting ready for her second year of schooling, getting her application in. She was accepted quickly, and the list of classes included. She was happy. 

I realized this would be the last summer I would be in Cameron. After this, in August, no matter what, I was moving back to Canada. To my home country. It made me sick inside, physically sick, to think that I was leaving my best friends behind, the world that I had grown to love. Jeff and Matt came home for a vacation that summer, for July and August. I was happy. I hadn't seen them since last winter.   


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   


I woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing. "What the hell do you want?!" I screamed. I did not want to be awake at this time in the morning. 

"Pizza delivery!" I heard a familiar voice yell back. 

I squealed. "Jeff!" And ran to the door. I opened it, and there the two Hardy brothers stood. 

"Hey." Matt said to me. I hugged him, and went to hug Jeff, but I noticed someone beside him. 

I stopped short. Jeff put his hand out to shake mine, and I did so. It was so formal, it wasn't like him... 

"Lindsay, meet my girlfriend." I almost screamed. I wasn't expecting this, wasn't expecting it at all. 

"Hi." I squeaked out. The girl nodded back to me. She didn't talk much, I noticed over the rest of the summer. She was shy, quiet, the complete opposite of Jeff. 

"So, what are you guys doing back?" I said, changing the subject. 

"We get a holiday." Matt filled in for me. 

I smiled. "Come on in, guys. The place is always open." 

As the three walked past me, I took a good look at Matt and Jeff. By now, they had both grown their hair out to past their shoulders. It was longer than mine, and I wondered why they were doing that to their hair. I figured it was for the image, for the WWF. 

I sat down on the chair in the living room, Jeff sat on the couch, his girlfriend on his lap, and Matt beside Jeff. 

"I'm moving back to Canada at the end of August." I told them. 

They were quiet for a moment, and Jeff finally said, "Hey! That's great! Ah hope you have a great time back home, with all o' your friends!" I laughed. 

"Yeah...All of my friends..." I muttered to myself. "It'll be great, I'm sure." I smiled, but fakely. "You guys want some dinner? I can cook you something." I offered. 

"Sure." Matt said. 

"Why not?" Jeff added. 

I headed to the kitchen, and grabbed some spaghetti out of the cupboard. "You want spaghetti?" I yelled. 

"Yes'm!" I heard them yell back. As I waited for my water to boil, Matt walke dinto the kitchen. He hugged me tight, and put his arms around my waist. 

"Something's wrong." He stated. 

"Hm?" I looked at him. "Nothing's wrong." 

He laughed lightly. "Something's wrong, Lindsay. I can always tell." 

"Nothing's wrong, Matt. I'm fine." 

He gave me a look, telling me that he didn't believe me. 

I refused to let him know. 

He sighed loudly, and unwrapped his arms from around me. "You're not gonna tell me, are ya?" 

I shook my head. I noticed the water was boiling, and I put the spaghetti in. I set the timer on the oven for 10 minutes, and turned back to Matt. 

"Why are you hiding all of this from me?" He asked. He leaned against the doorway. I peered behind him, and saw Jeff tickling his girlfriend, and my stomach turned. 

I looked back to Matt. 

"Hiding what?" I asked him. 

"Hiding what you're thinking, hiding what's going on in that pretty little head of yours." He stepped forward. "I wanna know what's going on, Linds." 

I kept my gaze down. "I...I..." I stammered. I burst into tears. After everything, after letting it all go, it came back. It rushed into my head, everything starting from that day after my last class in high school. I pushed past Matt and ran up to my room. I felt him come after me, and through my tears, saw Jeff stop tickling his girlfriend. He looked up at Matt, and then at me, as I rushed past. 

I ran into my room, and slammed the door behind me. I threw my shirt off, and flung myself into my bed. I was there for a while, and when I collected what I could of myself, the blankets below me were soaken wet with tears. I sat up, and reached for the teddy bear that Jeff had given me for the celebration of my first birthday. I hugged it tight to my chest, and looked at myself in the mirror facing me across the room. As usual, I was a wreck. My hair was a mess, and my eyes were red from crying. 

"Shit!!" I screamed and threw the teddy bear at the mirror. I went around the room, finding any pictures of Jeff and I, and ripped them up. I tore at them savagely, and my face was wracked with anger as I did this. 

A knock came at my door. I stopped, and looked up. Jeff walked in. 

"Shit..." I muttered. "Don't you know not to walk in on a girl when she's only wearing her bra?!" I screamed at him. 

He grabbed my shoulders, and held me straight. "Shut up and listen to me, Linds!" He yelled at me. 

I turned my face to the side, afraid he would hit me. He didn't though. 

"I'm on the road constantly, okay? You're not the first girl in my life anymore! I met someone who I love, Lindsay! Deal with it! It happens to everyone! Besides, ever since grad we've grown apart..." He trailed off. 

"Jeff..." I bit my lip. "I...I miss you and Matt so much..." Was all I could say. 

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Linds. You're moving back to Canada an' everythin'...It's...Hell." He sat on the end of my bed. I stood there. 

"Jeff..." I managed to say. Tears came back to my eyes. I breathed heavily in and out, and joined him on the bedside. I placed my head on his shoulder. He stroked my hair with his left hand. 

"I just wish this wasn't happening to me...I miss you all so much..Even Meagan. She's never home anymore, out working or at school...Damn it..." I whispered. 

"I know...All of us have fallen away from each other...Especially you. I care for you Lindsay, I always will. But nothing more than a friend." 

That was a slap in the face. I stood up sharply, and told him to get out of my room. "Get out! Get out! And don't come back! Don't you ever come back, Jeffery Nero Hardy! Never, you hear me? Get out!!!" I screamed at him with all my might. He looked at me blankly, and numbly stood up, walking out of my room. 

Matt walked in. 

"Not you too..." I said. 

"Listen to me, Lindsay." He said. 

"No. No, I'm not gonna listen to you! Fuck! Fuck you, Matt Hardy! You're the only one who I ever gave a damn about! The only one I ever loved, Matt! Don't try to pull anything on me! Don't you even try!" I yelled at him. "Go away! Leave me alone! Just go away!!!" I threw my face into my bed, and cried. 

I heard him leave my room, closing the door softly behind him. That was the last I saw of either brother, until the end of the summer, when I received my acceptance letter, and was packing my belongings. Meagan had the day off, and we had gotten up early to pack my things. After that, we headed around town, and I took pictures of Cameron. Of the scenery, of the people, of the places that I loved to hang out at. 

I managed to reach the Hardy's house, and take a picture of their front yard. I hoped no one was home, and even if anyone was, I sure as hell wasn't going to ring the doorbell. 

I took the picture quickly, handed the camera to Meagan, and found myself tackled from behind. I twisted my body around, to find Matt. I roughly pushed him off of me. I remembered the last time he had done this, and how it had messed my entire life up. As I gave the camera back, I saw Jeff standing in the porch, leaning against the banister. 

"Get the hell away from me, Matthew." I said gruffly to Matt. 

"Ah came to say goodbye to ya." He said. I looked at him. 

"I already said goodbye to you a while ago." I snapped back. 

He rushed at me, and tackled me back to the ground. "Tell me what the hell is wrong with you, Lindsay! What made you like this?!?!" 

I didn't dare answer him. He shoved my shoulders into the grass, hard. 

"Tell me!!!" I was silent. 

"Damn it, Lindsay!" He swore at me, shoved my shoulders hard again, and stood up over top of me. 

I glared at him. "Leave me alone, Matthew. I finished with you and Jeff a long time ago. I'm going back home, and that's all there is to it." I picked myself up, and walked to the car. Meagan sat in the driver's seat. "Good luck with your wrestling." I told him, as I stepped into the car. As we drove out of the parking lot, I looked behind, at the Hardy's yard. Jeff was comforting Matt, and Matt stood there, his hands at his side, his face wrenched into a look of pain. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

I moved back to Canada soon. My parents were more than happy to see me, and I had given Meagan my address and phone number, so we could keep in touch. The ride back to Canada was long, and hard. I thought a lot about all the times I had spent with the crew, hanging out, and all that we had done together. I thought of everything that we had gone through, and all that we had managed to live through. Together, as a group. 

In my new place, I wrote Meagan often. She wrote back, and when we could afford it, called each other. In our phone calls though, never once did we mention the brothers. 

I would flick on my television every once in a while, and would manage to catch WWF. I would sit and watch it, and I would see the brothers, living out their dream. Even with the nasty goodbye I had given them, I still felt happy for them. They were living out their dream, and it was awesome. The fans they had, the energy they created in the ring had stayed with them over the years. 

Meagan, from what she had told me, was moving from Cameron to New York. She had found the job she wanted, after her schooling was done, and was ecstatic when I talked to her. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   


I didn't really know how to close that chapter of my life, the chapter with all four of us. I still had some of the pictures from high school, and some of the things the brothers had given me. I'll never give those up. I love going back on those memories, and looking at what we did. It makes me happy, even though it shouldn't. I'm happy for Jeff, and his girlfriend. 

I'm 22 now, done my schooling, and with a job of my own. I'm stilll single, but I've dated off and on. One of the reasons I haven't committed to a relationship is because of what I shared with Matt and Jeff. Nothing could compare to what we shared, whether it was as friends, or more than that. I still think about what went on those summer months, and wishing that I would trade anything to have them back. 

_I don't wanna hear about it anymore_   
_It's a shame I've got to live without you anymore_   
_There's a fire in my heart_   
_A pounding in my brain_   
_It's driving me crazy_

_We don't need to talk about it anymore_   
_Yesterday's just a memory_   
_Can we close the door_   
_I just made one mistake_   
_I didn't know what to say when you called me baby_

_Don't say goodnight_   
_Say you're gonna stay forever_   
_Oh oo Oh, all the way_

_Can you take me high enough_   
_To fly me over (fly me over) yesterday_   
_Can you take me high enough_   
_It's never over_   
_Yesterday's just a memory (yesterday's just a memory and)_

_I don't want to live without you anymore_   
_Can't you see I'm in misery_   
_And you know for sure_   
_I would live and die for you_   
_And I'd know just what to do when you call me baby_

_Don't say goodbye_   
_Say you're gonna stay forever_   
_Oh oo Oh, all the way_

_Can you take me high enough_   
_Can you fly me over (fly me over) yesterday_   
_Can you take me high enough_   
_It's never over_   
_Yesterday's just a memory, I'm running_   
_I was running for the door_   
_The next thing I remember_   
_I was running back for more_   
_Yeah..._

_Don't say goodbye_   
_Say you're gonna stay forever_   
_Oh oo Oh, all the way (all the way, all the way, yeah)_

_Can you take me high enough_   
_Can you fly me over (fly me over) yesterday_   
_Can you take me high enough_   
_It's never over_

_Can you take me high enough_   
_Won't you fly me over (won't you fly me over) yesterday_   
_Can you take me high enough_   
_It's never over_   


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

First set of lyrics taken from "Again" by Lenny Kravitz. So sue me if the song didn't exist back then.... 

The second set of lyrics come from a song called "High Enough" by the Damn Yankees. 


	2. Ten Year Reunion

I smoothed down the dress I was wearing, a black velvet, long beautiful dress. It was almost an exact replicate of the grad dress I had worn so many years ago... 

"Honey? Honey! Hey! Snap out of it!" My husband's voice burst into my thoughts. 

"Hm? Oh!" I said, noticing we were there. As I stepped out of the limo, I looked at my old high school. One I hadn't been to, in what seemed like eternity. I walked up the stairs slowly to the school, and leaned on my husband's arm for support. I reached the front door's, and with my hand shaking, pushed it open. 

The decorations inside were stunning. It looked exactly like it had ten years ago. Everything was in the same place as it had been the day of my graduation and I was amazed. My husband looked around in awe as well, and said, 

"So, this is your old high school?' 

I nodded. "Yeah..." I wondered how many of my classmates would make it out. I heard voices as I neared the gym, my husband's hand in my own. 

As I stepped through the open door, voices filled my ears. Voices of my old classmates, of my old teachers... 

I could hear two certain voices over the din. One was that of Jeff Hardy, the other of his brother. 

I led my husband through the crowds, and to where I heard the two familiar voices. I tried to look like I was searching for something else, for food or something, and a familiar face popped into my view. 

"Hey Lindsay!" He said to me, and held out his hand. 

"Jeff?" I said his name. I was too shocked to say anything else. 

"Give the lady a prize! Got it in one!" He laughed. I shook his hand. 

It had been 9 years since I had seen Jeff Hardy face to face. He didn't look any different; well, he did, but you were still able to tell it was him. 

His hair was past his shoulders now, and died every colour of the rainbow. Both of his ears were pierced, as well as his bellybutton, which you couldn't see first thing...He wore a black longsleeved shirt, and a pair of black pants. His hair colour stood out against his outfit. 

I stumbled for something to say. "Jeff...Uh...Meet my husband, Kim." I smiled. 

Jeff stumbled for something to say now. "Hello." He finally said. 

I looked at my husband and told him if he wanted to mingle, he could. He walked off in the direction of the food, and I laughed. 

I turned back to Jeff. "So...The old crew's almost back together, huh?" I said. 

Jeff smiled. "Yeah...The old crew." 

I fingered the cup that I had in my hand. It contained a mixture of wine and punch. "Been a long time..." I couldn't think of what to say. I remembered the clearly the events of my grade twelve summer. And the summer following that. 

"So, you're married now..." Jeff said. 

"Yeah...I met Kim at the art school I went to. He's great. I love him..." I stopped. I didn't want to say too much to Jeff. After all, I swore to myself I'd never talk to Jeff or Matt again, as long as I lived. But then the ten year reunion invitations had been sent out, and I couldn't help but return to the little town I loved so much. 

I grinned. "Being married isn't all it's cracked up to be." 

Jeff laughed. "Who would've have figured you would get married?" He punched me lightly. 

"Yeah.." I said. "How's the WWF going?" I asked him. 

"Awesome. Our fanbase is so big now. I haven't killed myself either yet...Same with Matt." 

I smiled. "That's great..." I said falsely. 

"Mattie's here." Jeff told me. 

"He is?" 

Jeff nodded. "Yep." 

I grinned a little, and looked around. I bumped into my husband doing so, and he grabbed me around the waist. I looked forward to see who he was talking to, and found it was Mattie. 

"Uh...Hi..." I stammered. 

Matt almost fainted. "Lindsay? Oh mah god..." I wanted to scream, to run, to get away. I knew I had betrayed the one man I had ever loved... 

Matt brightened. "You're married now, huh?" His words were the same as his brother's, but sounded hollow. Without meaning. As if he couldn't believe it. 

I nodded. "This is Kim." I said simply. I hid my hands behind my dress. I didn't want Matt to see the wedding ring anymore than he had to. 

Matt's attitude changed suddenly. "Well, you have yourself a fine girl there, Kim. You should be happy." 

Kim laughed. "I couldn't ask for anyone more beautiful." He bent his head, and kissed my cheek. 

"Yeah, she's quite the amazing gal. Lindsay and I go way back." Matt continued. 

"Yeah, yeah we do Mattie..." I said, trying to change the subject. I didn't want any of my past being brought up. Any of my careless past. 

"Did ya know that I was Lindsay's escort in grade twelve?" Matt told Kim. Kim smiled brightly, and said, "You were lucky to have such a pretty girl as you're date." 

"Kim..." I warned him. "Don't..." 

He looked at me. "What's wrong honey?" 

"Nothing. I need to refill my drink. Why don't you mingle a little more?" I suggested. He smiled, shrugged, and went off in another direction. 

I glared at Matt. "Matt! Don't bring up that summer! Please! If Kim finds out...He'll be devastated." 

Matt looked at me. "Lindsay. Why are you acting like this? What's in the past is in the past. It was emotionally tough for ya, I know, but it's not the end of the world." 

I didn't know what to say. "Have you seen Meagan?" I asked him. 

He shook his head. I headed out the back door, to get some fresh air. And a smoke. I had picked up the habit lately, and I still didn't know why. I just had, and I found myself addicted to the things. 

"Smoking can kill you." I heard a familiar southern drawl near me. 

"Do I care, Jeff?" I snapped back. I flicked the but. "I have my own damn life now, with my own husband. I can do whatever the hell I want." 

He looked a little shocked. "Your choice, Linds." I noticed him calling me his nickname for me. 

"My name is Lindsay." I corrected him. 

"Lindsay...Okay...How's life going for you?" He asked, making small talk as if we were old buddies. 

"Not bad." I flicked the but again, and inhaled the cigarette. "I'm married, but I don't have any kids yet. Don't plan on having any kids." 

Jeff looked a little amazed. "You're never gonna have kids? What...What happened to you, Lindsay? You were so depressed the day..." 

"That was almost ten years ago, Jeff. I've dealt with it. It happened, and..." I couldn't continue. "Aw, hell, what am I kidding myself? My entire life is a lie...I wished I'd never let you guys go!" I said in a rush, and hugged Jeff tightly. 

He struggled for a few seconds, and returned the hug. "I've missed you too Lindsay..." He whispered. 

Tears, tears from my teenage life came pouring out. Here I was, at 27 years of age, and crying my eyes out like I was a 16 year old who had just had her heart broken by her umpteenth boyfriend. 

I pulled away quickly. "My makeup's smeared now...Damn it..." I said. 

Jeff laughed. "You haven't changed a bit since I saw you last." He smiled. "Still crying your eyes out." 

I joined him in laughing. "Yeah...Still crying..." I hugged him again. "I miss you guys so much...Ever since I moved back to Canada, my life has been empty without you and Matt..." 

Jeff smiled. "I've been too busy to think about even my closest family. I haven't even thought about you since you left..." He confessed. 

"I've missed you..." I repeated myself. "I've missed you and Matt so much..." 

I stepped back. "I should head back inside. Kim's probably wondering what happened to me." I told Jeff. I began to turn my body around, to head back in, when Jeff grabbed my arm, pulled me towards him, and our lips met. 

Stepping back, I looked at him wide eyed, and ran inside the building. I needed to find my husband. I wanted to feel safe. I ran into people, and objects doing so. I ran into Matt. 

He grabbed my shoulders, stopping me. I was always so much shorter than him. And now, after all of his years in the WWF, I was less muscular than him. I had no strength against him. 

"Where ya headed so fast, Linds?" He asked me. 

I sighed. "I'm trying to find my husband." I told him. 

He let me go. "Something's wrong." 

I shook my head. "I'm fine..." 

"Even after all the time we've been away from each other, I still know how to read you, Lindsay." Matt told me. 

I pushed past him. I didn't want to be here anymore. I wanted to be at home, with my husband. Being around Matt and Jeff reminded of the duel I had had within myself all those years ago. It reminded me of my mixed feelings for both. I couldn't handle it. I didn't want to handle it. It had been submerged in me for all those years. And now it was being brought up again. I knew that coming to the ten year reunion would only damage my mental health again. 

"Whoa! Lindsay!" I heard a female voice say to me. I looked over. It was Meagan. 

I ran towards her and hugged her tight. It had been ten years since I had seen her, physically seen her. I hadn't made it to her wedding five years ago. My life had been busy then. 

Stepping out of the hug, we both smiled. "Oh wow..I'm so glad you came.." I told her. 

She smiled, and I noticed a tall, longhaired blonde man with his arm around her. 

"Meet Edge. Well, that's his stage name at least.." Meagan told me. "He's in the WWF." 

I almost screamed. "You know..." I trailed off. 

Meagan nodded. "I saw them here. Have you talked to them yet?" She asked. 

I didn't answer her. "I...I have to go." I told her, remembering about my search for my husband. I ran off again, and couldn't find him. I gave up. He was my husband, I needed to find him, but he was nowhere to be found...That was always great. 

I found myself on the front steps of the school. I looked around. This was the first place that first day at school, when Jeff had yelled at me from Meagan's car to go for lunch with them... 

I shook the memory out of my head. I didn't want to remember anything from my high school life. I tried to shake any memories I had out of my mind. I sat on those steps, for who knows how long. I cried. Like I had so often as a young teenager. It was stupid, and immature, but I did it anyway. I began to wipe the tears away, when I felt a warm pair of arms around my waist. My husband hugged me tightly, as if I was about to leave him. He whispered, "I love you," into my hair, but when I turned around, it wasn't him...Just a memory of something past. Instead, I saw a ghost of Jeff when he was young, walking into the building, leading me. I followed him, tranced. 

When I entered the gym again, the ghost of teen Jeff disappeared. On the opposite end of the gym, I saw the Jeff from years later. I stopped. My heart was still fighting over whom I loved more; Jeff or Matt. I completely forgot about my husband. I still hadn't found him. A dance had started, and I saw couples, married and in early relationships, enter onto the dance floor. Music from my generation of high school graduates echoed in the gym. It started off with dance music, and changed to something slower, something much more slower... 

I curled up in the corner I was standing in. I didn't sit down, I shoved myself against the wall almost. I didn't want anyone to see me. Not now. Not ever. I wanted to run, to be out of that place. But my body wouldn't move. Not until I saw Matt walk over. "A dance, please?" He asked politely. It was still on the slow song. 

I nodded and took Matt's hand. He led me towards the dance floor, and once we were on, Matt wrapped his arms around me tightly, and I rested my head against his chest. Slowly, rhythmically, we danced together, like we had at the graduation ceremonies. Without words, we spoke to each other in terms of body language, and our bodies meshed together beautifully. I didn't even know my husband's name anymore. I couldn't seem to remember it. I didn't want to remember it. I wanted to stay in Matt's arms forever. Even after what I had done to him. 

The song ended, and I moved back. "Thank you for the dance..." I whispered, and turned around. I found a table to sit at, and found my husband already there. He looked at me, looked away, and abruptly got up and left. 

I ran after him. "Kim!" I yelled his name. He ignored it. "Kim! Please! Listen to me!" I stopped as I saw him exit the doors of the school. 

I knew this scene all too well. It was what had happened with Matt, after my night with Jeff...This was the same way Matt had reacted. 

"I'll be at the hotel." Kim said, and drove off in the car. Our car. 

"Great..." I said, and curled my arms around me. The air had suddenly chilled. I shivered a little, and entered the school for what seemed the millionth time. Inside, the dance was still ongoing, and now alcohol was out...And in large amounts. I didn't want to be anywhere near it. I hadn't been anywhere near alcohol since that night... 

I sat down in an empty chair, at an empty table. I put my head in my hands. My mind began to wander. I began to think of what would have been if I hadn't had a miscarriage...If I had given birth to Jeff's child. What would have happened? Would he and Matt have made it into the WWF? I sighed. That gift had been taken away. It was too late now. I had no kids with Kim.. 

People swirled around me gracefully, energetically, dancing to the fast music that played from my decade now. I smiled a little, watching them. I played the scene of my husband through my head, and sighed. I was without a car now, and I needed a way back to the hotel. Hopefully, Meagan would be understanding. My eyes scanned for her, and I found her and her husband happily dancing on the floor. I stood up, but decided to wait until the song was over before approaching her. She looked like she was having too much fun. 

My black dress had become wrinkled by now, and my face had seemed to age as I looked at myself in my compact mirror. I noticed the wrinkles more, noticed the signs of aging...How long it had been since I had been with the gang, as we referred to ourselves now. I put the small mirror away in my bag, which had stayed with me the entire time, and heard the song end. I ran for Meagan. 

She smiled as she saw me, and begged to join her and her husband in the circle they had created with other friends from high school. I shook my head. "It's okay, Meagan. I need to get a ride back to my hotel though, if you don't mind...Kim freaked out on me." 

"Sure." Meagan said. "I have no problems with that." She added, "Once I'm done here, I'll let you know, okay?" She turned back to Edge, and started to dance again. 

I sighed, and muttered 'thanks', and I knew she couldn't hear me. I strode over to the bar, to get myself a glass of water. Upon reaching it, I found Jeff ordering a drink. I was still a little squirmish around him. He ordered his drink, and turned to me. 

In his Southern drawl, he said, "Where's your husband?" 

"He..." I had to think of something. "He went back to the hotel for some rest. He doesn't particularly like events like this." I covered up. 

"Oh." Jeff laughed. "He would hate the WWF then!" 

"Yeah..." I smiled at him. The bartender handed me my water, Jeff his drink. 

"A toast?" He asked. "It's just a coke." He smiled. 

"Sure." 

"To...Long health and happiness." Jeff said, and held his cup up. I clinked my glass against his, and we both took sips. I hadn't forgotten the kiss he had given me earlier, though. It still bugged me. 

"Jeff..." I began. "About that kiss earlier..." 

"Yeah?" He raised his eyebrow. 

"It..." I sighed, and changed the subject. "Have you seen Meagan yet? She's here with Edge." 

Jeff looked at me. "Yeah. I saw her. If ya want, later, we could hit some kind of a dance club. You, me, Matt, Meagan, and Edge." 

"Um...Nah, I'll pass...I'm worried about Kim." I told him, lying through my teeth. "I'll see you later, Jeff." I said, and like I had done all those years ago, walked away from him without a backwards glance. 

***** 

I left soon after that, Meagan giving me a ride back to the hotel. I found Kim sleeping when I got in, so I was quiet, and crawled into bed with him. 

I awoke the next morning, the radio blasting in my ears. Groaning, I whipped my hand over and shut it off. Kim was already gone for the day, probably for breakfast, and such. I sat up. The phone rang. 

"'Ello?" I said into the mouth piece. 

"Lindsay? That you?" Matt's voice replied. 

"Uh...Yeah...What's up?" I asked, nothing clicking in my head. 

"I gotta call this morning from Edge. He says Meagan never showed up in her hotel room last night. Jeff's here with me, and we're both worried." 

"Meagan didn't make it back? Oh no..." I mouthed. 

"What happened after she dropped you off?" Matt asked. 

"She...She went back to the hotel, I'm assuming." I said. A number of thoughts coursed through my head. 

"Well, Edge said she didn't make it back. No sign of her." 

"Fuck..." I swore. "Hell, this is not good. Listen, I'm gonna get dressed and stuff, tell Edge to be at your house in the next while..." I said, and hung up the phone. I dashed into the shower, dashed out, and grabbed some clothes from my suitcase. I scribbled a note to Kim, letting him know where I was, and what I was doing, and left it on the bed. I ran out of the hotel room, and found the car still there. I figured Kim had walked to a local restaurant. I hopped in, turned the engine on, and drove to Matt and Jeff's. I knew I was speeding the entire time, but we needed to find Meagan, and fast. 

I ran up the stairs to their house, and rang the doorbell. Jeff answered it immediately. 

I stumbled in. "Edge here?" I asked. Jeff nodded. I looked around, and found him. He looked worried. Or, beyond it. 

"Edge!" I said, calling him by his WWF name. He looked over at me slowly. He didn't say anything. 

"All right....We have to find Meagan, you guys...I mean...." I stumbled over my words. 

Matt and Jeff nodded, knowing what I meant. 

"We have to set up a search plan. I'll take the Southend, Matt you take the Northend, and Jeff'll take the Eastend. That leaves the Westend, which I'll take as well. Got it? Once we're done searching, asking people, then we'll meet back up here and discuss what we can do after that..." I sighed. "Let's get going, guys." I told them, and headed out to my car. 

****** 

No such luck was to be had, as Matt, Jeff and I rode in our seperate ways back to the Hardy Boyz house. All three of us had been gone for hours now, and when we returned, Edge looked even worse. 

Stepping into the house, I knelt down in front of Edge's tear streaked face. "Adam..." I knew his first name now, "Calm down please, hon. I'm sure Meagan's fine. We contacted the police, we asked around....Until we get bad news, no news is good news." I smiled up at him, placing my hand on his knee and squeezing it a tiny bit. He let out a ragged sigh. 

"I'm gonna head back to your hotel okay?" I told him and stood up. "She might be there, for all we know. Come on honey." Adam slowly stood up and followed after me in a daze. 

Unlocking my car door, I stepped in and pressed the unlock key. Adam sat himself into the passenger seat. I started the car up, and headed the direction of the hotel. Matt and Jeff had stayed back at their place, in case they heard any word there of Meagan. 

The car trip to the hotel was dead silent. I could sense Adam's worry and tenseness as I parked the car in a stall in the hotel parking lot. After he stepped out of the car, I pressed the lock key and followed after him into the hotel. He walked up to his hotel room and unlocked the door. 

"I'm sure she's safe, Adam." I hadn't seen him this distraught the entire time I had known him. Upon opening the door, we heard some noises. I raised an eyebrow, and Adam's jaw dropped when he saw it was Meagan just waking up. 

She smiled up at him sleepily. Adam grinned like a fool and ran for the bed, lifting her up and into his arms, hugging her tight. That gave her a wake up call. 

"Wha..?" She asked. 

"We thought you had gone missing, Meagan." I explained. 

She laughed. "I guess I must have hidden in the blankets too well this morning, huh Adam?" She smiled at him and hugged him tight in return. 

"Mission accomplished." I grinned. "I'm gonna head back and tell the Hardy's everything's ok.." I told the two and shut the hotel door. 

***** 

The second night of the reunion began. I smiled as I danced to the music playing. It was kind of a repeat of the night before, but there had been a mock ceremony of the grads earlier in the afternoon. Instead though, all the grads that had been there in 96 walked across the stage, recieved a fake diploma and then during the grand march, we walked with our significant other, be it boyfriend or girlfriend, wife or husband. Many many changes had occurred, and there were a lot of surprises for a lot of us. Supper had been served tonight as well, and then there was the grad dance.   
  
I was definitely enjoying myself tonight. I hadn't run into the Hardy's though. I smiled as Kim wrapped his arms around me from behind. A few songs later, I sat down to take a breather. Kim shrugged and went off to talk to more people. Our fight had blown over since then, and he knew that I had nothing for the Hardy's. 

At least, I was trying to tell myself that subconciously. Conciously, I knew it wasn't true. I still had feelings, overwhelming feelings for Jeff. 

****** 

Kim left early that night. He offered to give me a ride, but I told him I was going to be a bit later. I'd find some way to get home, I assured him and he smiled. I was 27 after all. I could take care of myself easily. 

I approached Meagan about a ride. She declined, saying her car was full of other people she and Edge had to drive home. That left me two options: Jeff or Matt. Matt had left almost as early as my husband, so that left me with one choice. 

Jeffrey Nero Hardy. 

I sighed, and found him up on the dance floor. Waiting until he took a minute to catch a drink, I walked towards him. He smiled happily at me. He knew I needed something. He knew it so well.   
  
"Jeff...Can...Can you give me a ride back to the hotel at the end of the night?" I asked him cautiously. 

"Of course I can!!" He told me and grinned wildly. He looked 17 again as he stood there in front of me. I smiled in return and when I looked into his eyes, I saw the look that I had seen so often in high school. 

******* 

We left a few hours later. I caught up with Jeff and we headed over to his car. A 2001. It was gorgeous. It wasn't brand new, but absolutely beautiful. 

The car ride was full of stories and memories of that last year of high school. The funny ones. The good ones. The sad ones. All but that last day of school. It was unmentioned between the two of us. 

"Thanks." I said, as I placed my platform shoes onto the ground outside of his car. He shut his car off. 

"I'll walk you up to your hotel room." He offered. I shrugged and didn't argue with him. 

I was expecting Kim to be sleeping when I unlocked the door. I didn't however, and found a note on the little table in the corner. It simply stated that Kim had met up with some old friends of his and was going for coffee with them. It also said he wouldn't be home until the next afternoon. Some kind of a road trip he and his buddies were taking. I shrugged. 

"I suppose you could come in." I said to Jeff. He smiled softly. 

Placing the keys down onto the small table by the note, I sat down on the bed. I removed my shoes and began to undo my dress, when I looked over at Jeff. "Oh..Right...Not my husband." I said outloud and did the dress back up quickly. I bit my lip. "Mind turning around for a moment?" I asked Jeff. He looked at me. 

"Nah, here I'll help you get that dress undone. It looks like it'd be a pain to do by yourself." He placed himself behind me on the bed and undid the zipper, then pushed the sleeves forward. Instantly, his soft lips placed themselves on my back. As I removed the rest of my clothing and his, I took the ring on my left finger off and placed it on the desk. 

_Hello my friend we meet again_   
_It's been a while where should we begin...feels like forever_   
_Within my heart are memories_   
_Of perfect love that you gave to me_   
_I remember___

_When you are with me_   
_I'm free...I'm careless...I believe_   
_Above all the others we'll fly_   
_This brings tears to my eyes_   
_My sacrifice___

_We've seen our shares of ups and downs_   
_Oh how quickly life can turn around in a moment_   
_It feels so good to reunite_   
_Within yourself and within your mind_   
_Let's find peace there___

_When you are with me_   
_I'm free...I'm careless...I believe_   
_Above all the others we'll fly_   
_This brings tears to my eyes_   
_My sacrifice___

_I just want to say hello again_

****** 

I was awakened by the sound of a shower running the very next morning. Jeff had popped into the shower and I smiled happily. After all these years. I knew deep in my heart, I loved Jeff so much more. My thoughts flew to Matt. He was 30 now...He wouldn't be as upset as when he was 20. 

Jeff entered the room, a towel wrapped around his waist. He kissed me, his wet hair falling into his face.   
  
I stood up, and went to get myself dressed. As I did, Jeff found his own clothing. When he was half-dressed, the door to our hotel room opened. 

My jaw went slack as Kim entered. He took two steps and stopped. "What..." He saw Jeff and growled at him. "What the hell?!" Kim began. He grabbed my wrist. "What the hell did you do with him last night while I was gone?! You think you can get away with this?!" He let go of my wrist, and slapped me across the face. 

Jeff started in on Kim. "Leave her alone!" He yelled. "She's your wife, god damn it! Don't beat her!!" His face was pleading with my husband's. Still, he kept his hands to his own. 

Kim backhanded me against my cheek. "Bitch!" He screamed. He took the ring on his finger off and threw it in my face. "We're over!!" He said. "Find your own way home now! I'll be back later to clean my stuff up and go!" He slammed the door powerfully behind him and I could hear his echoing steps down the hallway. 

Jeff flew to my side, as my tears ran down my cheeks. He hugged me tight in his grasp. "Sssh...It'll be okay..." 

His words echoed those of so many years ago. My grad summer. The summer and the summer's following that had caused me so much pain, so much wreckage, so much baggage. I had tried to convince myself I had always loved Matt more. But in this moment that my husband had left me, I knew it was Jeff Hardy. I wondered where Matt was in that moment. What he was doing. What he was thinking. I looked into Jeff's eyes. All I saw was his love and comfort. As my memories of my grade 12 year, from the first day I met the Hardy's, to the last day I had left them, flashed through my mind, I kissed Jeff Hardy with all the passion I had in me.   
Pulling back slightly from him, still in his warm grasp, I said, 

"I love you." 

******   
The song used in this fic is "My sacrifice" by Creed.   
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Birth of a Hardy

"Let's name her Phoenix." 

"Phoenix? You think that fits her?" 

"Course it does! A baby girl named Phoenix is perfect! Look at 'er!" 

"Phoenix Ivy Hardy." 

"Ivy?" 

"It's a name that one of my best friends from Elementary school had. Ivy." 

"Phoenix Ivy Hardy. Welcome to the world, little one." 

------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Phoenix's hazel eyes looked up at me, a shine showing in them. Jeff stepped through the door of the house and she ran for his arms. Phoenix loved the safety of her daddy's arms. Jeff Hardy picked her up, threw her into the air, and swung her around, then held her on his waist. 

"Hey baby. What's new?" Jeff walked towards me, and kissed my forehead. I sighed and stood up, grabbing his bags, dragging them in after him. 

"She's been missing you a ton Jeff. It's exasperating having to deal with her, especially now that it's the holidays. But we do have the Christmas tree up, and presents. Go see what's there for you." I smiled up at my husband. Jeff tickled Phoenix and asked her, "Let's go see what's under the tree so far hm?" He laughed and Phoenix giggled as he continued to tickle her. 

Standing in front of the tree, Jeff let Phoenix stand in front of him. "Where's your presents?" He asked her and quickly she pointed them out, already set into a small pile underneath the tree. Jeff smiled and then asked, "Where's daddy's?" Phoenix raced around the tree, looking for the ones that said Daddy on them and found them. She held them out to him. 

I dragged the suitcases upstairs and to the room Jeff and I shared. I let out a little exasperated sigh and then headed downstairs. Matt followed after me, with his wife Katherine. 

"Baby brother!!!" I heard Matt bellow from behind me. Jeff raced towards Matt. The two embraced lovingly. Matt placed Jeff into a headlock and gave him a noogie. "Glad to see you home for the holidays, Jeffery." He drawled out. 

Katherine just shook her head and smiled at her husband, walking down the rest of the staircase. She picked up Phoenix, nearby the tree and brought her over to me. "You'll be wanting to keep an eye on this." She said. I laughed and took Phoenix in my arms. 

"Welcome home, little brother." Katherine greeted him as if he was her actual brother and I smiled, still holding Phoenix. The holidays were so warm and inviting. It was good to have both of the Hardy's home. Matt was normally home every day, but only because of the injury. His days in the WWF had been cut short because of it. As I sat down in the living room, Phoenix seated beside me, and Matt, Jeff, and Katherine catching up on things, my mind quickly flashed through the memory of Matt's injury. 

------------------------------------------------------------ 

_I had been invited to one of the tapings of RAW live near North Carolina. I had managed to find an all night caregiver for Phoenix. Jeff wanted to see his little girl again, but not in this way. We had compromised, and I told Jeff I would pick her up after the show, and bring her to see her dad._

_ Matt and Jeff had a match against a new and upcoming tag team that night. They were rookies compared to Matt and Jeff. The winners of the match had already been decided: The Hardyz were to win that night. Something went wrong though. Watching it from just behind the ring wall set up, I could see something was horribly wrong. The match had started off all right. Each of the team's had gotten their fair share of almost-pins, DDT's, and signature moves in. That was until Matt decided to pull a twist of fate on the bigger tag team partner of the two. Even though he was a new kid, he was at least 4 inches taller than Matt. Matt wouldn't give up though, and when the kid was starting to wear down, he grabbed him, and started the Twist of Fate. The kid was too tall for it, and Matt had a hard time pulling him down...When he finally did, Matt fell to the ring, sprawled out on his back, screaming. Paramedics, real ones, ran in very quickly. I watched as they gathered around Matt, and I could hear him crying out in pain. Jeff ran to his side, holding his older brother's hand, and before I knew it, I had climbed over the top of the ringside wall, and into the ring, pushing past medics and to Matt's other free side. His face was twisted in a look of pain, and Jeff looked at me. His face read that of a scared little child. He had no idea what had gone wrong, and what was hurting. All Jeff knew was that his older brother was in severe pain, and the most he could do was sit by, hold his hand, and pray that he was all right._   


_------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The doctors had determined Matt's injury was for life. He would never completely heal, and he would never be able to return to the WWF. Katherine had been by his side through the hospital visits, the wheelchair he was in, and all of the rehab. The two had met through me, funny enough. I had known Katherine since I had been in high school, before I lived in North Carolina. We had parted ways for a bit of time when I moved, and when I returned to Canada, I had the chance to meet up with her again. She was a great friend. She loved the WWF for its entertainment value and her favourite team had been the Hardyz. She didn't know I had been friends with them for that while in grade 12 though, and when I brought her up to North Carolina for a visit, she just about died when I introduced her to Matt. She was instantly in love with him, and he with her. They had married after knowing each other for a year and had been happily married since. 

I was brought back to reality as my little girl jumped into my lap, and hugged me. I blinked for a moment, and looked down at her. Her blonde hair with its pink streaks shone brightly in the sunlight filtering through the front window. She always wanted to look like her daddy, and she did, with her bright pink hair. Her eyes were a bright green as well. She looked as beautiful as Jeff did, but more feminine, because she was a little girl. 

I stood up, holding Phoenix on my hip. "I'm gonna get some cookies from the kitchen." I announced and walked into the kitchen. On the table, three trays of cookies sat, neatly piled with Christmas sugar cookies. I had taken my time with them, and some had designs I had created myself, such as the ones with the WWF symbol, or the Hardy Boyz symbol. I smiled, picking up one tray with my free hand and walked back into the living room. I placed the cookies down in the middle of the table, and sat down. Phoenix ran over to Jeff, curled up in his lap, and I got up again, grabbing the glasses. "What do you guys want to drink?" I asked everyone. Each told me, and I walked back into the kitchen for the second time. I placed the glasses on the countertop, and reached into the fridge for some of the beverages. I was distracted for a moment though, as I looked out the kitchen window and saw what was my former husband and his car approaching the house. One of the glasses I had been just holding onto slipped from my grasp, and hit the ground with the sound of breaking glass. Instantly, Katherine, Matt, and Jeff with Phoenix in his arms ran into the kitchen to see what was wrong. I balanced myself against the fridge, and looked rigid with fear as I saw Kim park his car and begin towards the front door. Jeff handed Phoenix to Matt, and I could only watch as my now husband went to face my former husband. 

************************************ 

"What do you want?" Jeff spoke to Kim, before he had any chance to enter the house. "Get off my property now." He ordered. 

"Let me talk to Lindsay. Please." Kim asked. Jeff wasn't buying it, and his arms were crossed.   
  
"Why should I? After what you did to her?" 

"What I did to her? How about what she did to _me?_!" Kim replied. 

"I don't care what she did. Get the hell out of here now." There was an angry tone in Jeff's voice. 

I watched from the kitchen, Katherine gathering me into a hug and holding me, as I let the image figure itself out in my mind. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, watching the two argue outside. I looked up at Matt. 

"Take Phoenix upstairs. I don't want her seeing this." I said concerned. Matt complied, taking his niece up to her room, and keeping her occupied. I breathed down onto Katherine's neck, scared. 

"It's all right, Jeff can handle him. Don't worry, Lindsay." She said soothingly. 

"I wonder what they're talking about, Katherine...What's going on out there..." 

Jeff glared at Kim. "If you don't get out of here right now, I'm gonna be forced to call the cops. Get back in your car, leave and never come back. You hear me?" 

"Fuck you." Came Kim's reply. He stepped towards Jeff, and pushed past him, to the front door, and opened it. Jeff quickly followed after him, trying to stop him. I watched from the kitchen window, and then took myself out of the hug from Katherine. I ran to the front door, Kim tackled down in front of it, Jeff already landing punches across his jaw. 

It reminded me only too much of the same scene I had encountered over ten years before, with Matt and Jeff. Instead of screaming this time, I reached out and pulled the two apart with all the strength I had. Kim lay on the ground, his lip bleeding, and Jeff stood up, fists still curled at his side. I looked at my husband sternly, then down at Kim. 

"What do you want with me?" I asked him. Kim sat up, wiping his lip of blood and looked up at me. 

"To say sorry. Sorry for bringing my ass back here to apologize to you, when all I get is a rude welcoming party." He stood up, brushing himself off. "Forget what I came here for, I'm leaving." He turned on his heel, walking back to his car, starting it up and driving down the road.   
  
"That's right! You leave!" Jeff yelled at the car as it backed out. "Get your sorry ass out of here!" 

I placed a hand against Jeff's chest, stopping him from moving further from his spot. I ushered him back into the house, and followed. Katherine sat on the couch now, watching Jeff and I walk in. 


End file.
